Ottawa's Business Community Goes Full Court for CHEO
Ottawa's corporate community proved it has game — on and off the court — at the inaugural Ottawa Summer Tip-Off (OSTO), a charity basketball event that raised an impressive $45,000 for the CHEO Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
Held at the Jack Doyle Athletics Centre, the event brought together Ottawa's business community for a day that blended competitive hoops with serious philanthropic impact. The NICU at CHEO — the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario — serves some of the most vulnerable newborns in the region, and every dollar raised goes directly toward supporting the families and medical staff who call that unit home.
Why the CHEO NICU?
For anyone who has spent time with a family navigating a NICU stay, the emotional and financial toll is well understood. CHEO's NICU is a lifeline for premature and critically ill newborns across Eastern Ontario and western Quebec, and donations fund everything from specialized equipment to family support programs.
The choice of beneficiary clearly resonated with participants — $45,000 is a meaningful haul for a first-year event, suggesting strong buy-in from Ottawa's business sector and real potential for growth in future editions.
Basketball as a Catalyst for Community
The OSTO model — using sport as a vehicle for corporate networking and giving — taps into something Ottawa does surprisingly well. The city has a long history of community-minded business leaders who show up when local institutions need support, and the Summer Tip-Off adds a fun, accessible format to that tradition.
Basketball is having a cultural moment in Canada right now, and events like this one smartly leverage that energy. It's competitive enough to be genuinely exciting, low-barrier enough that you don't need to be an elite athlete to participate, and social enough to make it a legitimate networking event alongside the charity component.
A Promising Start
For a debut event, raising $45,000 is a strong result. Organizers and sponsors will likely be looking at how to scale the OSTO in future years — more teams, more sponsors, a bigger venue — while keeping the community feel that made the first edition work.
If you missed this year's event and want to get involved in future editions, keep an eye on Ottawa Business Journal for updates as organizers announce plans for year two.
The CHEO Foundation accepts donations year-round at cheo.on.ca — if the Summer Tip-Off inspired you, your support is always welcome.
Source: Ottawa Business Journal
